ORIGINAL RESEARCH
The Yield and Utilization Coefficient of Nitrogen
by Plants after Applying of Fresh and Composted
Sewage Sludge with Mineral and Organic
Additions
Andrzej Wysokiński, Stanisław Kalembasa
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Soil Science and Plant Nutrition Department, Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities,
Prusa 14, 08-110 Siedlce, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2011;20(6):1617-1625
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
We investigated the influences of fertilization using fresh and composted sewage sludge with the addition
of calcium oxide, brown coal ash, straw, and sawdust on the yield and nitrogen content in maize biomass,
as well as the values of utilization coefficient. The biomass yields of maize fertilized with only sewage sludge,
as well as sludge with brown coal ash and sawdust, were similar. Lower yields were achieved when sewage
sludge with calcium oxide and straw were used. Amounts of harvested maize biomass from objects fertilized
with fresh and composted sewage sludge were similar. The highest efficiency of 1g nitrogen was recorded
when the mixture of sewage sludge with brown coal ash was applied. The largest nitrogen concentrations were
observed in maize amended with sewage sludge with calcium oxide, while slightly less – after adding the
sewage sludge only and sludge with brown coal ash. The lowest nitrogen content was determined in biomass
harvested from objects fertilized with mixtures of sewage sludge with sawdust and straw. The coefficient values
of nitrogen utilization by maize were similar for all three series of experiments on objects fertilized with
the sewage sludge only as well as sludge with calcium oxide and brown coal ash addition; slightly lower values
were recorded when sewage sludge plus sawdust and straw were added. No significant influence of composting
the sewage sludge from Siedlce on nitrogen content and its utilization coefficient for nitrogen was
observed. On the other hand, composted sewage sludge from Łuków enhanced the content and nitrogen utilization
by the test plant.